Let Me See You Stripped Down To the Bone
by sashadavidovna
Summary: Written for slashfest. Prompt: Regulus is using Remus because he's angry with Sirius, Remus is using Regulus because he can't havedoesn't think he can have Sirius.


They were good at wards. With Sirius gone, Regulus was helping his father maintain the wards on the family home, the heir's duty, and Remus was learning for the simple reason that he would rather not kill anyone, thank you very much, and someday he wanted everybody awake within a kilometre of him on full moon nights to remember a pressing engagement in bed. He hadn't yet figured out how to attach the wards securely to a moving object that was impervious to most ordinary spells, but it was surprisingly easy to make anybody venturing too near the conveniently sedentary study table in the back corner of the library feel a sudden urge for the toilet. They could have stripped naked and danced the cancan on the tabletop and nobody would have noticed. They didn't, of course. It was still a library, after all, and anyway, there would have been better things to do than dance the cancan if they had been naked, but it was a liberating feeling all the same.

"Studying?" said James, when Remus slid in next to him on the bench. "Is that what they call it nowadays?"

"It was a very productive afternoon," Remus said serenely, ignoring Sirius and Peter's startled looks. Across the hall, Regulus was already slicing into his roast, the silver flashing in his elegant hands. For a split second, their gazes caught, and then they both looked quickly away.

The next Saturday was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year, the day after the full moon. His friends lingered as long as they could in the hospital wing with him, but eventually the prospect of Honeydukes chocolate and butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks proved irresistible and they left with promises to bring lots of everything back for him. When they were gone, Remus picked up his book between stiff, bandaged fingers and settled down to read.

Fifty pages later, he did not even notice that he had company until a shadow fell across the page and he looked up to see Regulus staring down at him from the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing here?" he said, automatically trying to hide the bandages behind the book, under the covers, _anywhere_. "Why aren't you in Hogsmeade?"

Regulus ignored him, frowning, staring at the web of scars crisscrossing Remus's arms. "So it is true," he said. Remus opened his mouth to reply, but Regulus cut him off with an impatient gesture. "Do you think I'm as blind as everybody else?" Remus's brows shot up and Regulus rolled his eyes. "Do you honestly think I could grow up with a brother like Sirius and not learn to trust my own observations more than anything anybody ever tells me?"

"Dumbledore…"

Regulus snorted. "_Especially_ Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of our time," Remus snapped, bristling.

"That doesn't make him any more trustworthy. Less, I should think."

"He…"

"Can you go back to your dorm yet?" Regulus interrupted, laying a light hand on Remus's arm.

Remus froze, staring at the long, slender fingers, paler than his scars, and then flexed his own fingers experimentally. The skin pulled taut and painful against new scabs, but did not break. "Yes."

"I'll help you with the stairs," Regulus said, and went to find Madame Pomfrey.

A group of first and second years stared with wide eyes when Regulus stepped into the Common Room beside Remus, but Remus shot them a quelling look. "Mr. Black and I are working together on a Defense project," he said. "We will be in my dorm if any of you need me."

"Why the hell did you say that?" Regulus hissed as they climb the stairs. "Now they'll be interrupting us."

"Wards are Defense." Remus shrugged tiredly. The stairs had taken too much out of him. "Give them a sudden desire to spend all weekend doing homework and they'll stop bothering us soon enough."

Regulus blinked. "Why aren't you in Slytherin?"

"Too bloody-minded, I suppose. Here we go." He set Regulus's ears to buzzing again while he muttered the password, and opened the door.

"Well." Regulus paused in the doorway, blinking in the sudden light. "You Gryffindors do get the views, don't you?" Outside, the autumn sunlight glittered on the lake and he drifted across to the window to gaze out at it.

"Yes," Remus said. He carefully set the wards and checked them before crossing to his bed and sitting down to pull off his shoes and socks. "Come here," he said, when he had lined them up neatly at the foot of the bed.

Regulus turned, framing himself in light, and Remus smiled. "Come," he said again, and Regulus did.

"How long do we have?" he asked, loosening his tie and pulling it out in one smooth motion. He dropped it to the floor where it lay, silk shining emerald in the light from outside.

"A few hours. Plenty."

Regulus nodded, watching Remus with a little half-smile playing about his lips, his fingers gliding down the front of his shirt, undoing the buttons one by one.

Remus wet suddenly dry lips. "Do mine too," he said.

"Lie back," Regulus said softly, putting his fingers on Remus's chest and pushing him down.

Remus reached around to prop up his pillow and sank back against it with a soft sigh as Regulus straddled him and began to unbutton his shirt. "Why did you take off the tie?" he murmured, tangling his fingers in the soft cloth of Regulus's shirt and pulling him lower. Something flickered behind Regulus's eyes, but then he smiled and the tie flew to his fingers. Remus blinked in surprise and Regulus's smile turned smug.

"You or me?" he asked, dangling it so the tip brushed Remus's bare chest, light as a whisper.

"You," Remus said, snatching it too quickly for the other boy to pull away and snaking it around his neck, wrapping it around his hand and pulling him down hard against his mouth. He felt Regulus flinch as their mouths smashed painfully together and smiled, pushing his tongue between the other boy's teeth and reaching his free hand down to undo his belt. Regulus went tense as his fingers slid down under the buckle and Remus relaxed his grip on the tie enough to let him pull away.

"Have you done this before?"

Regulus's eyes flickered again, but he met Remus's gaze full on, challenging. "Of course."

"Take them off then," Remus said, letting go of the tie. Regulus settled himself down next to him on the bed, shimmying out of his trousers. "Mine now," Remus said, and Regulus obeyed, dropping them in a pile on the floor when he was done. "Now kiss me again." Remus grabbed the tie, pulling Regulus's mouth back to his own, shifting his hips to feel the boy half-hard against him. He reached a hand down to stroke him and Regulus gasped into his mouth at the touch, his eyes flying open, wide and gray and incredulous. "Nice, isn't it?" Remus whispered.

The noise Regulus made in response was perhaps transliterated best as "mmphf" and then his mouth pressed down hard against Remus's, hot and eager now, and Remus began to rock his hips in rhythm with his stroking. Regulus moaned again, softly, and the noise sang through Remus's body like electricity.

"Go down," he said, pushing against Regulus's chest. "Quickly." The springs groaned as Regulus hit the bed beside him, flat on his back, and Remus swiftly rolled over onto him. The boy's body went taut in an instant, and Remus tilted his head. "Have you done this before? Honestly, now."

"Of course I …"

"Liar," Remus said, tightening his grip on the boy's cock until he winced.

"I …" Regulus began again, starting to squirm.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Remus said, tightening his grip again. Regulus blinked and lay still. "That's better. How about you fuck me if you're so good at it?"

Regulus blanched. "I haven't…"

"I don't like being lied to," Remus said, rolling off onto his back. "You, being an expert, naturally won't forget the lubrication charm, right?"

"Of course not," Regulus shot back. "But I don't want to top."

Remus snorted. "There's a new one. Spread your legs, then."

"I…"

"Do it." His fingers tangled into Regulus's hair, tightening painfully, and his other hand slid downward, trailing down the thin line of dark hair from navel to groin, across the balls and the skin behind. Regulus's breath caught at the sensation and Remus smiled and eased himself back on top, propping himself up on his elbows, his left hand still tangled in the boy's hair.

"There, that's good," he murmured, rocking their hips together again. "Are you ready?" Regulus's eyes snapped open again and Remus snorted softly. "No, you're not." He tilted his head, considering, and drew a finger gently down the other boy's cheek. "And frankly, your brother, whatever his other faults, always was."

Regulus blinked and then his face twisted with rage. "Fuck you."

Remus laughed and rolled off him. "Some other day maybe. Get your clothes back on," he said, pulling himself back into sitting position to watch.

Regulus shoved his feet through the discarded trousers and ripped the tie off his neck as he pulled the shirt on, fingers flying up the buttons. "Go to hell," he snapped, stalking to the door and yanking it open. It closed behind him with a dull thudding noise and the noise of his footsteps faded away.

Remus looked at the tie where it lay, gleaming softly in the light, and leaned down to pick it up, trailing the soft, bright silk between his fingers. Draping it carefully over the headboard of his bed, he dressed himself and left for the library.


End file.
